1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vibration damping and, more particularly, to an active vibration damping arrangement and process which utilizes a motor for damping vibrations such as those found, among other places, within a supply tension arm forming part of a tape transport within a recording system.
2. Description of Related Art
Supply tension arms such as those typically found in recording systems like the DCRSi.TM. high speed data recorder system marketed by Ampex Data Systems Corporation are known to have a natural resonance (also called a natural vibration or a natural oscillation or a natural frequency in the art). In one recording system, the supply tension arm has been found to have a natural resonance at approximately 130 hertz (Hz). The natural resonance is generally caused by a combination of elements including a mass of the tension arm and a spring constant of a recording tape forming part of the overall recording system. Attempts, which have included the use of grease as well as air dashpots, have been made to damp the resonance. Grease provides some improvement but does not provide consistent damping over time and temperature. Dashpots provide improvement in some areas but problems in other areas. For example, dashpots usually have some mechanical slop and some variation over temperature and humidity which further degrades their performance and hence their effectiveness in damping vibrations.
Accordingly, since known approaches do not provide a significant enough improvement in performance to be considered to be a viable damping solution, alternatives continue to be sought.